The Oblique Life Global Goals

Our 21st century city must shed its prejudices. Exploited migrants - whether in forced labour or sex trafficking - have equal rights and opportunity to everyone else, as long as governments and priva…

Cities are melting pots for geopolitical ideology, cultural appropriation and expression of identity and beliefs.  As the world continues to globalise, but also polarise, the best parts of this integ…

Cities that are congested and polluted, with high costs of living, a perpetual rat race and yet a more sedentary lifestyle, have created physical, mental and cognitive health issues.  Zoonotic, infec…

By 2050, we expect to have 70% of the world's population living in urban environments.

Today, more than 1 billion people reside in informal settlements with the flexibility to engage in activities tha…

Nature is constantly seeking equilibrium through self-regulation and regeneration. Humans, on the other hand, have been depleting Earth’s resources, and cities, the fastest growing environment on the…

Cities attract and preserve our heritage, but the arts can be one of the first casualties during austere times. Now, a wave of polarisation has left us with few places where we can engage in difficul…

A growing middle class has meant more disposable income; more spending has generated more waste, and that waste is more complex. This is increasingly recognised as unsustainable as natural resources …

Urban mobility must tackle an over-reliance on automobiles, which has led to both sprawl and inequity of access to amenities and opportunities, if it is to re-invent itself. Like other utilities such…

Much of our global greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution come from energy used in cities. Transportation and buildings, in particular, are energy-intensive sectors, as Dr Jan Rosenow states.

Tran…

Whether it is New York City, Mexico City or Ho Chi Minh City, enabling equitable access to clean drinking water, and adequate drainage and storm run-off must overcome multiple challenges.

Burgeoning u…

Today, urban dwellers are removed from food production, which has widened the gulf between cities and rural areas. Convenience has led to an over-abundance of food, but it is not equitably distribute…

To start with the obvious, entrepreneurship means thinking out of the box and presenting commercially viable solutions. In the 21st century, urban entrepreneurship must be about relocating the planet…

Information and telecommunications infrastructure is our most recent urban amenity. Today, wireless voice, data and Internet connectivity and increasingly digital transmission are enabling new types …

In episode 2, we focus on re-inventing governance for urban ecosystems of the 21st century through the cities of Rotterdam and Mumbai.

Bas Boorsma speaks about our undergoing a transition - from the h…

For the second season of The Oblique Life Global Goals we have decided to support four organisations (1001 Fontaines, Eleven Campaign, Nula and Sina) that we believe are doing important and impactful…

In the second season of The Oblique Life Global Goals Podcast we will be exploring urbanisation in the 21st century, deep diving into the models, systems, elements, challenges, opportunities and solu…

One of our big takeaways from COP26 was the role that art is playing in the fight against climate change and towards sustainability and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.  Art comes in many shapes…